The present invention is in the field of hand-held devices used for gripping or picking up objects. Such devices are often utilized by people having limited mobility. Such devices are also frequently used by anyone who desires to simply increase his or her range for grasping or holding objects.
Hand-operated remote gripping, grappling, and grabbing devices have been around for ages. The array of devices that have been invented to achieve this singular purpose are both numerous and diverse. Indeed, inventions drawn toward achieving this object include everything from the most mundane pair of kitchen tongs all the way to the most elaborate of grapples, seemingly incorporating every manner of mechanical and dexterous advantage for accomplishing highly specialized tasks related to remote manual gripping.
This field is broad and diverse enough that it is possible to categorize prior inventions in a variety of ways. Among the most conventional gripping devices are those that convert some variation of the conventional “trigger” action into some form of gripping or grasping action in a way that often mimics the action and dexterity found in the human opposable thumb and forefinger. Such devices commonly operate at a distance on the order of a few feet, and frequently on a single line of action. Even within this seemingly simple and straightforward class of devices, inventors have employed a great variety of mechanical means for achieving the stated task.
Beyond this mainline class of gripping devices are several others that are distinguishable by virtue of enhancements to articulation or dedication to specific tasks. In the former category are inventions having multiple joints, making the devices adaptable to and operable in situations calling for remote manual gripping in locations where certain known obstacles present difficulties to a single line of action. Other devices in this group have modular or interchangeable actuators. Others provide members for enhancing the stability of the conventional trigger or hand grip user interface. Still others in this category offer the benefit of adjustable length. The latter category of gripping devices, those dedicated to specific tasks, encompasses remote gripping devices designed for dedicated uses such as picking up dead animals, grasping cables, retrieving cans, pulling weeds, extracting light bulbs, grasping worms, gripping shoes, picking up animal waste, and lifting stones.
Both within and without these categories, many remote manual gripping devices have incorporated mechanisms for locking the jaws or other actuators in various positions ranging from fully opened to fully closed. Although the specific geometries differ widely, these mechanisms almost universally employ some variation of a simple ratchet arrangement. Unfortunately, these devices also universally suffer from one of two maladies. In some devices, the locking mechanism is so delicate as to easily wear out after repeated uses. In other devices, portions of the locking mechanism remain in physical contact with the primary activation mechanisms. These locking mechanisms thus continue to wear even when not in use for locking purposes.
For all of the diversity and innovation that has taken place in this field, many of the devices are simply over-engineered or cumbersome. In addition to the shortcomings found among locking mechanisms, other devices require the use of two hands, some provide little or no mechanical advantage, and many are simply poorly designed for prolonged and repeated use. Thus, there is a need for a simple yet robust remote manual gripping device that can truly stand the test of time.